Part 13 (1/2)

-Tenacity. Courage. Survival instinct.

-Hey, said Billy. -I recognize you from somewhere. Don't I?

He pointed at one of the other investors, an attractive redhaired woman in sober business attire.

-I can't imagine where, she protested.

-You're in the Moped Marauders, said Billy. -In fact, you're like the leader of the Moped Marauders!

-Julia? said one of the others. -What's he talking about.

-I really have no idea ...

-You do ride a moped around Los Angeles, pointed out one of the investors. -Last time I was down there you drove up on it.

-It's not a moped. It's a Vespa.

-What's the difference?

-Is it light green? asked Billy. -I mean to say, is it tourmaline? And you have a matching helmet?

-How does he know that? Julia, how would the mountain lion guy know that?

-My name's Billy.

-Look, what I do on my downtime is not really anyone's business ...

-It is you! exclaimed Billy. -You guys surrounded my car once.

-We don't do that, said Julia flatly. -We only go after the Critical Ma.s.s crowd. Bicycles, she added, for the benefit of the others. -They're like these crazed fascists who want to take over the streets for bikes. Bikes!

-I had dogs tied to my b.u.mper.

-You're that guy?

-I don't even want to know why he had dogs tied to his b.u.mper.

-I bet we can find it on YouTube.

-Can I make a sort of confession? said Billy. -I always thought you were really ... well, I sort of have a crush on you. As a Moped Marauder.

-Really?

-So your name is Julia?

-Julia Fractal.

-That's your real name?

-Why wouldn't it be my real name?

-No reason.

-Were you ever in that bar on Fairfax across from Cantor's?

-I'm rarely not in that bar, said Billy.

-You and your friend did some kind of mind reading trick on me and a friend. Mostly the friend. I wasn't really buying it, but I couldn't figure out the trick.

-I'm sworn to secrecy on that, sorry.

-What if I said I'd go to dinner with you?

-Here's how it works, said Billy.

38. THE MIND READING TRICK EXPLAINED IN FULL, ALBEIT RELUCTANTLY, SITTING IN THE BAR THREE DAYS BEFORE THE KOREAN CHECK-CAs.h.i.+NG FIASCO.

See what I'm saying? said Billy, staring straight ahead. He held his hands outstretched across the booth toward Guy, who sat with his head in his hands, head down, eyes closed.

-I am, replied Guy.

Billy snapped his fingers three times.

-That's some kind of code, said the drunk girl who'd come over to join them, accompanied by a less-drunk friend. The less-drunk friend had red hair, and was very slim. She wore a light-green T-s.h.i.+rt decorated with sequins that spelled out a word. In the gloom of the bar it was difficult to make out the word. On the floor next to her seat was a helmet of some kind that matched the color of her s.h.i.+rt. Her friend, an artificial blonde, had on a black dress.

-No it's not a code, said Billy. -It's part of what Madam Rose taught us, it helps concentrate the mind. We can do it without the snapping but it's more difficult. Up to you ...

-Let them snap, said the blonde, pus.h.i.+ng the straw in her almost-empty gla.s.s to and fro with the tip of her nose.

-Go! said Billy, throwing his hands theatrically toward Guy, who nodded gravely in response.

-I'm starting to get something, said Guy.

Billy snapped his fingers quickly five times.

-Tell me what you see! he commanded.

-I'm picturing a rock band, began Guy.

-Oh my G.o.d, exclaimed the blond girl. -This is creepy!

-There's some trick to it, insisted the redhead.